Chili - Perfect football game crowd pleaser

Changing up chili for the football game is fun. It’s a great crowd feeder and you are limited only by what you consider to be good tastes for chili. I experiment with chili most of the time because this is the kind of recipe that offers the cook latitude. When I make “traditional” chili, I use half ground beef and half ground chicken or turkey. When browning the meat, I do so in isolation, then rinse most but not all of the fat off. This is easily done by pouring the meat into a large strainer then placing it back into the pot for the remaining steps and ingredients.

This past Sunday I used two pounds of each ground meat. After browning, I pureed 1 cup of raw broccoli florets, 1 large red onion, 1 cup carrots and 1 red pepper. In addition I added, and pureed three chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. Adobo adds the smoky taste my family enjoys. The can consisted of more than I needed, so I froze the extra. When I cooked in the veggie mix, I then added the seasonings, a little water and 1 small eight ounce can of tomato sauce. I let that cook down for a few hours on low, and wow, it was good. For the details, see the recipe below.

Another great take on chili is the white chili I make often. My huge trick with this chili is to use three pounds of white ground meat, instead of four to five and I then shred a raw head of cauliflower. After I finish with the fat rinsing, I add the cauliflower to create the needed volume with a fraction of the calories. It also has that terrific peppery taste to add to the taste of the chili. The seasonings are a combination of cumin, garlic salt, pepper and a can of chicken broth. The recipe is included with all of the details.

I enjoy these recipes on many levels. Both are healthy, great sources of protein, delicious and great for diet conscious foodies. Use these recipes to ease the remaining chill in the air, and to satisfy those football fans. In the absence of the Eagles...Go Ravens!

Cook ground poultry over medium heat, chopping as you go. After you rinse the fat, add cauliflower, onion, cumin and garlic, stirring occasionally until onion is tender. Reduce heat and add broth. Let it cook down. Cover and simmer one hour, stirring occasionally.

Rinse beans, then add to the mix, heat through and serve. Serve over top of cooked brown rice, and top with shredded pepper jack cheese. • 1/4 cups ground cumin • 2 teaspoons salt • 1 teaspoon pepper Puree: • 1 cup raw broccoli • 3 carrots • 1 large onion • 3 chipotle peppers in adobo

sauce (from a can)

Cook ground meats, then rinse. Add veggie mix and cook another 15 minutes. Add seasonings and cook another five minutes. Place the lid and let simmer. Serve over brown rice with a sprinkle of shredded cheese.